Lloyd Cole's new project Small Ensemble made their NYC debut opening for Suzanne Vega during the last night of her May residency at City Winery. Small Ensemble is an acoustic three-piece (self-described as 'baby bluegrass' on Cole's website) which consists of Cole on vocals and guitar, Matt Cullen (guitar/banjo) and Mark Schwaber (guitar/mandolin).



The band played a forty-five minute set which consisted of a mix of stripped-down reinterpretations of songs from Cole's back catalogue (both with the Commotions and solo) along with a couple new songs. I'm more familiar with the three Commotions albums than Cole's solo work so I wasn't able to keep an accurate set list but Small Ensemble has a new limited edition CD whose track list looks very close to the show's set list.

This new 'white label' CD is a limited edition run of 400 copies that is available (autographed, no less) through Cole's web shop. This disc was recorded live in the studio the day after the band's debut 2010 performance.

"Is this an album or not? I’m not sure, it was recorded so that we would have something by the small ensemble to sell at our January 2010 concerts; a souvenir, but it turned out better than we expected, and folk who weren’t at the shows expressed interest in getting their hands on it. So, here it is. Still, I’m not sure what to call it, so for now I’ve invented a new category at the shop – White Labels – this is the first one. It’s not a demo or outtake CD, nor is it my new album. I do like it though, and I hope we can make more of these." -- Lloyd Cole

Cole's next studio disc is due out in Sept. '10 and is described as being "loud, heavy and light...there are elements of rock, country, blue grass and pop. Lots of of acoustic string instruments, plenty of electric guitars, pedal steel, accordion, violin, and some pretty banging drums. And harmony vocals!"

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Lloyd Cole